Trousers-supporter.



inl/Enron Wl TNESSES f Mame RUDoLPH M. HUNTER, oF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

TROUSEBS-SUPPORTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 190 7.

Application led December 28. 1906. Serial No. 349,784.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDqLPH MELVILLE HUNTER, of the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented v an Improvement in Trousers- Supporters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to trousers supporters and consists of certain improvements which are fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide an. effective means for sustaining the trousers upon the wearer in a most perfect manner and which shall embody cheapness of'construction and adjustability of the trousers suspension.

The ordinary manner of supporting trousers in the warm weatheris to employ a leather belt which is passed through loops or bars sewn on the trousers at intervals about the waist. l`he objection to this manner of support is very great, some of the more noticeable obj ections being the following: The adjustment is very uncertain and necessitates the length of the trousers to be such that the belt will rest upon the hips; the pressure of the belt is severe and injurious to most personsg' the non-elastic nature of the belt makes itvery uncomfortable; where the trousers are not provided with bars or loops there is no guide of any kind to keep the trousers from working down; the lower edges of the trousers invariably touch the ground and becomeworn when the bottoms are not turned up; the belt gathers the trousers at the abdomen and causes wrinkles and undesirable appearance; and the tight non-giving character of the belt produces heating and perspiration.

The purpose of my invention is tososupport the trousers that all of the above recited objections are overcome and the necessity for the use of ordinary suspenders at any time entirely eliminated.

Generally considered, my invention consists of a semibelt or band preferably arranged upon the inner portion of the trousers at the rear and extending across the back of the wearer, said band being provided with means connected with the trousers adjacent toand preferably slightly to the rear of the side seams or hip portions. More specifically the band is made of elastic webbing and provided with Vmeans for adjustment as to its length to suit the waist measure of dierent persons, and combined at each end with detachable devices for attachment to the trousers as` above stated. My invention also combines with such semi-belt or band, one or more retaining loops or devices for attachment to the trousers whereby they are held 'close to the band and the waist portion of the trousers at the back will be held snugly tothe wearer.

My invention further comprehends thecombination `of my improved supporter with the trousers as more` fully set out hereinafter, and also embodies many de;

tails of construction which, together with the features above specified, will be better understood by reference to the drawings, in which Figure l is a front view of my trousers supporter separated from the trousers; Fig. 2 isv an edge view of the same; Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the supporter combined with the trousers; Fig. 4 is a plan view `of the trousers with the supporter applied thereto; Fig. 5 is a side view showing a buckle for adjustment of the band; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the retaining loops; and Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are views of modified means for attaching the ends of the supporter to the trousers.

A is the band, preferably formed of elastic webbing and is looped upon itself at B, the length being' made adjustable by the slide orA buckle C. I prefer this adjusting device C in the form of a slide because it is fiat. The end of the webbing is secured to the middle'bar of' the slide and the long or free end of the webbing is threaded under the side bars and over the center bar as shown. By simply adjustingrthe slide, the length of the band may be varied to suit the waist measure of the wearer. In place of the slide C a buckle such as indicated at C in Fig. 5 may be used, or any ordinary buckle of other makes may be employed, if so desired.

The looped end B of the webbing is threaded through the metal loop D and likewise the free end of the webbing A is secured to the corresponding metal loop E at the other end of the band. These loops D and E are respectively secured to means for attaching the band to the inner surface of the trousers. In the preferred form, I employ for this purpose, metallic clamps H connected to the loops D and E by leather clips F and rivets G passing through the leather and shanks of the clamps. As shown, the cam lever plate H of the clamps H are the parts to which the leather clips are riveted so that the pull by the webbing will always tend to keep the clamps closed. The parts F may be of metal or other material instead of leather if so desired. p

In combining the supporter, constructed as above, to the trousers M, I prefer to arrange it against the inside surface thereof at the rear N and near the waist line as shown in Fig. 3. While the clamps H, H may be directly connected with the cloth of the trousers, I prefer to provide the trousers at or adjacent to the hip lines or side seams thereof with rearwardly extending vertical tabs L L sewn to the garment and with which the clamps H H engage, as shown. In this way,the most perfect connection can be had and the vertical adjustment may be easily obtained to suit any length of trousers and to compensate for variations in the thickness of the under-garments over the hips which have a tendency to raise the trousers 1n wmter and lower them in summer.

'H4 which are hooked into the trousers.

-of the type known as The essential point to be kept in mind in applying the supporter to the trousers is to have it arranged so as to draw the trousers over the hips and apply the pull at such a level that theV waist band or parts adjacent to it are made tighter than th`e parts -lower down and thereby cause the trousers to hang directly upon the hips. As the length of the leg from the hip down is always the same for all positions of the body above the waist, it is evident that, having oncefproperly `adjusted the supporter in place, no act of the wearer will ever cause the lower edge of .the trousers to touch the earth or pavement as so frequently is the case with the use of shoulder Suspenders.

In addition to the attachment of the ends oi the supporter to.the trousers near the hips, I provide two or more loops or bars J J, through which the band oi the supporter is threaded free to move, which are secured to the inner surface of the trousers by suitable fastening devices or sewing as preferred. As shown, these bars J, J are in -the form of flat looped portions, having apertures J, Ji at their ends, provided with small safety pins by which they -may be attached to the garment. By means of these bars, the loose portions of the back of the trousers are h'eld up snugly to the back and supporter. The excess of looseness of the trousers in the back may be taken up by the usual buckle and tabs O (Fig. 4) at the rear, said parts being disposed intermediate of the bars J, J. I have found in practice, that two of these bars J, J, are sufficient for the purpose.

By arranging the supporter at the back N, it draws the front and hip portions of the trousers smooth and gives the most desirable and dressy appearance. It prevents the production of creases and wrinkles which are incidents of the use of belts as a means of supporting the trousers.

In the use of my supporter, the outside belt becomes unnecessary and would only be worn as an ornament. There is no undesirable pressure putupon theabdomen such as results from the employment of the usual leather belt and consequently, the greatest comfort may be had by the wearer -of my supporter.

In place of using the clamps H, other means of attachment may be employed as indicated in Figs. 6, 7 and' .9. In Fig. 6 the band is provided with claws In Fig. 7 the loop E is connected by` a tape F3 with a safety pin Hl and which may be shielded by a guard R of leather or other material. In 9 the loop E is provided with leather tabs H3 adapted for employment with buttons which may be sewn to the trousers or may be bachelor buttons and mechanically attached to the garment. Such buttons are shown at h, h in Fig. 4, in which figure the sup porter is provided with the ends shown in Fig. 9. It will also be observed that these buttons are attached to the trousers M well to the rear of the hips orto the hip line P-I.

I prefer to make the supporter in such form that it may be combined with any trousers without necessity for sewing, yet it is evident that, where preferred, the

j, bars J, J, the buttons, or the tabs L, L, for attachment of the clamps may be sewn permanently on the trousers.

The bars J, J not only hold the back of the trousers close to the supporter but also sustain them. when loose, against sagging. I have ordinarily employed the supporter upon the inside face of the trousers; but I have also found it excellently adapted for use on the outside of the rear of the trousers.

While I have shown and described my supporter in the form` in which I have found it most excellent'for commercial manufacture and usey I do not restrict myself to the details, as these may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having now described my invention. what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: f

1. A trousers supporter consisting of a tex tile band, combined with metallic clamping jaws at each end, and means intermediate of the clamping jaws comprising one or more transverse textile bars loosely sleeved on the band and having their ends' provided with metallic attaching devices for attaching the band to the back of the trousers.

2. A trousers' supporter consisting of a band having elasticity, combined with metallic clamping jaws at each end of the webbing, and one or more transverse flexible bars on the band intermediate of the clamping jawsand their ends projecting beyond the band and provided with metallic attaching devices for attaching the band to the inside portion of the trousers.

3. A trousers' supporter consisting of a band having elasticity .andl provided with a metallic adjusting device,

combined with metallic clamping jaws at each end of theA band. and one or more-transverse parts intermediate of the clamping jaws'supported by the band and provided with attaching devices for attaching band whereby they are held up to the band and also at the proper height from the ground.

` 4. A trousers supporter consisting of a band of elastic webbing looped on itself and provided with a metallic adjusting device, combined with clamping jaws at each end of the band, and a flattened looped transverse portion extending around the band and having ends adapted to be attached 'to the trousers and through which looped portion the band is free to adjust itself.

5. A trouserssupporter consisting of a band of elastic webbing provided with means to adjust its length, combined `with metallic'loops at each end of the band, nexible tabs connecting with the loops, and metallic clamping jaws attached to the tabs. I'

6. A trousers supporter consisting of a band of elastic webbing provided with means to adjust its length, .com-

the trousers to the` bined with metallic loops at each end of the band, iiexible l tabs connecting with the loops, metallic clampingl jaws a tached to the tabs, and means'intermediate of the ends of the band for attaching it to the back of the trousers.

7. Al trousers supporter consisting of a band having elasticity, combined with means at each end thereof 'for attachment to the trousers near the' hip portions, one or more transverse bars on the band intermediate of its ends and having flexible ends extending beyond the band, and

attaching devices carried by the flexible ends of the transverse bars for attachment to the rear portion of the trousers to support them close to the band and also 'sus tain them vertically.

8. A trousers supporter consisting of a band having elasticity and adjustability in its length, combined with means at` each of.its ends for attachment to the trousers, and a flexible transverse bar intermediate of the ends of the band having its end flexibly extending beyond the rband andprovided with a safety pin for attachment to the trousers.

9. A trousers' supporter consisting webbing looped on itself and provided with an adjustable metallic device, combined with metallic clamping jaws at each end of the band, and textile bars adapted for attachment to the trousers and upon which the metallic clamping jaws are adjustably clamped.

10. The combination of the trousers, with a supporting device consisting of a band having elastic qualities arranged adjacent to the rear inside surface near the waist, means to adjust the length of the band, adjustable clampof a-band of elastic ing.r means for attaching the endsyot` the band to the inside of the trousers at the rear of the hip portions, end means consisting,r of a transverse har having devices for adjustable attachment to the trousers for holding the loose back portion of the trousers up to the band intermediate of its ends and suspending the trousers the proper distance from the ground.

1.1. '.lhe combination of the trousers, with a supporting device consisting,r of a band extending across the rear inside portion ot the trousers, and means at the ends of the band connected with the inside of the trousers immediately to the rear of the hip portions permitting vertical adjustment of the band relatively to the trousers.

12. The combination of the trousers, with a supporting device consisting of a band extendinf,r across the rear in side portion of the trousers, means at the ends of the band conneeted with the inside of the trousers to the rear of the hip portions permitting; vertical adjustment of the band', relatively to the trousers, and means inside of the trousers for holding the trousers up to the band intermediate of its ends.

1S. The combination'of the trousers, with a supporting device consisting of a band extending across the rear inside portion of the trousers, and means at the ends of the band connected with the inside of the trousers to the rear of the hip portions permitting vertical adjustment of the band relatively to the trousers consistingr of llexible bars secured to the inside of the trousers adjacent to the hip portions, and metallic clamping `jaws secured to the ends of the band and ndjustably clamped upon the bars.

ln testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand.

R. M. HUNTER.

Witnesses:

Il. M. KELLY, M. F. DmsCoLL. 

